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Former Detroit Tigers player Craig Monroe, left, with son Cannon, watches twin Collin throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Detroit. Craig Monroe was honored with Tigers' Willie Horton African American Legacy Award during a pregame ceremony. Duane Burleson, AP

Former Detroit Tigers player Willie Horton, left, presents another former Tiger, Craig Monroe, with the Detroit Tigers Willie Horton African American Legacy Award as Tigers first base coach Ramon Santiago, center, looks on before a game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Detroit. Duane Burleson, AP

Aug 10, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Dawel Lugo (18) makes a throw to first base for an out during the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit.. Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

Minnie Forbes, former owner of the Detroit Stars of the Negro Leagues, is presented with flowers by former Detroit Tiger Jake Wood, right, during a celebration of the Negro Leagues before the Tigers' baseball game against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit. Duane Burleson, AP

Former Negro League Players are honored before a MLB game between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on August 10, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The game tonight is the 25th Annual Commemorative Negro League Game. Dave Reginek, Getty Images

Former Negro Leagues player Ron Teasley throws out a ceremonial first pitch before the Detroit Tigers baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit. The Tigers are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Detroit Stars. Duane Burleson, AP

Kansas City Royals designated hitter Jorge Soler (12) crosses his arms as he touches home plate after hitting a two run home run during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit.. Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Royals designated hitter Jorge Soler (12) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two run home during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit.. Raj Mehta, Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers' Spencer Turnbull pitches to a Kansas City Royals batter during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit. The Tigers and Royals are wearing uniforms in honor of the Negro League's Detroit Stars and Kansas City Monarchs. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) Duane Burleson, AP

Detroit Tigers third baseman Dawel Lugo (18) makes a throw to first base for an out during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Detroit.. Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports

Starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull #56 of the Detroit Tigers throws in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 10, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The game tonight is the 25th Annual Commemorative Negro League Game. Dave Reginek, Getty Images

Catcher Meibrys Viloria #72 of the Kansas City Royals is injured on a foul ball from Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 10, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The game tonight is the 25th Annual Commemorative Negro League Game. Dave Reginek, Getty Images

Niko Goodrum #28 of the Detroit Tigers signs autographs for fans before a MLB game against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on August 10, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The game tonight is the 25th Annual Commemorative Negro League Game. Dave Reginek, Getty Images

Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera reacts after scoring from second on a single by teammate Dawel Lugo during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Detroit. Carlos Osorio, AP

Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, right, beats the tag of Kansas City Royals catcher Meibrys Viloria, left, to score from second on a single by teammate Dawel Lugo during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Detroit. Carlos Osorio, AP

Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after scoring a first inning run while playing the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on August 09, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the dugout in the first inning while playing the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on August 09, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

Niko Goodrum #28 of the Detroit Tigers stands on second base in the first inning while playing the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park on August 09, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield (15) celebrates with left fielder Alex Gordon (4) after hitting a homerun in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Detroit. Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers pitchers Matthew Boyd, left, and Daniel Norris throw water onto Jordy Mercer after he hit the game-winning two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. The Tigers won 10-8. Jose Juarez, AP

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Richard Lovelady reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Detroit Tigers' Jordy Mercer in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. The Tigers won 10-8. Jose Juarez, AP

Detroit Tigers' Jordy Mercer reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. The Tigers won 10-8. Jose Juarez, AP

Kansas City Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier (17) hits a two run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier (17) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers left fielder Harold Castro (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Comerica Park on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jorge Lopez (28) is pulled from the game by manager Ned Yost (3) against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers center fielder Jacoby Jones (21) is hit by a pitch in the wrist and had to leave the game against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Comerica Park on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Detroit. Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals, two years removed from their 2015 World Series championship and fighting to keep their window of contention open for a couple months longer, arrive at Comerica Park for a three-game series.

They are 1½ games behind the Cleveland Indians for the American League Central division lead. The Detroit Tigers, gasping for their last breaths of perennial contention, are 6 ½ games back.

They see the writing on the wall: Free agent-to-be J.D. Martinez was shipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks two weeks earlier and more trades are likely to come in the final week before the trade deadline. They have veteran players but no leadership, a $200 million payroll that is seriously underachieving, and things are about to change, quickly.

But maybe, if they win this series, and then keep winning ... oh but they didn’t.

The Tigers were blasted by the Royals in that 2017 series, swept by a total score of 23-8, embarrassed by right-handed reliever Bruce Rondon again late in a blowout game, and exposed as a team that was strong only on paper. So many veterans, so little mental toughness.

Two years later, and another realization hit at Comerica Park this weekend: The Tigers are behind the Royals in the rebuilding process.

With every Jorge Soler and Hunter Dozier home run — they combined for eight in the four-game series, with Kansas City totaling 12 — the point was hammered home even more.

Royals' Jorge Soler crosses home plate past Tigers catcher John Hicks after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning Sunday.(Photo: Duane Burleson, AP)

“They’ve got that power where they make that park look small,” Royals manager Ned Yost said after Sunday afternoon’s 10-2 win over the Tigers. “It just goes to show you that you can look at your record all you want, but we got a couple of guys that are going to be mainstays in this lineup.

“I mean, middle-of-the-order bats when we get to the point where we can contend.”

The Royals (43-76) aren’t at that point yet. But in looking at their pieces — a strong position-player core which includes the best player in baseball nobody talks about in second baseman Whit Merrifield, a legitimate power hitter in Soler and up-and-coming players like Dozier and the injured Adalberto Mondesi — it’s easy to see the disparity in the two rebuilding processes.

Because of that monstrous payroll, the Tigers (35-80) have dealt with different challenges than the Royals, a team that defined "small-market" but hit it big in developing a championship core of players in catcher Salvador Perez, first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Other key contributors — like left fielder Alex Gordon and shortstop Alcides Escobar — played big factors in that 2015 title.

Soler was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a 2016 trade for closer Wade Davis; Dozier was taken No. 8 overall by K.C. in the 2013 draft. Mondesi, who might be their most dynamic player and is currently out with a shoulder injury, was signed as an amateur free agent the day he turned 16 in 2011. Perez, the veteran who underwent right elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in March and should return next season, also signed as a 16-year-old, back in 2006this past spring.

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Asked about the difficulties of going through a rebuilding process, Yost said, “The difficult thing is with the fans and the GM not having the patience to allow it to develop. That’s where you get in trouble. You have to have the patience to allow it to develop.

“Yeah, you’re going to lose games, but you continue to develop players at the big league level until your pitching — and you guys have pitching, like we have pitching in the middle levels of your organization — and when they get here and get themselves established, you guys are going to be contenders, just like we’re going to be contenders.

“We’re going to contend against each other when that young crop of pitchers that you have, that young crop of pitchers that we have get here and establish themselves. It’s going to be fun to watch.”

But that’s the thing: Not only do the Royals have bats like Soler and Dozier developing into impact hitters — and Merrifield, who is a superstar on a team-friendly contract with three years of control remaining (though he'll turn 31 before next season) — they also spent five early picks in last year’s MLB draft on college pitching.

Those pitchers — including the Florida righty duo of Brady Singer and Jackson Cowart — are not as highly-regarded as the Tigers’ top arms in righties Casey Mize and Matt Manning, but they could be in the majors just as quickly.

And when they do, Kansas City will not need to place the pressure of their entire rebuild on their shoulders, not with a starting lineup that should age well into the near future.

Soler and Dozier are both 27 years old, entering their primes. Mondesi Is 24 and shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr. — the team’s No. 2 overall pick out of high school in June — should progress rapidly through their system.

The Royals do not appear likely to spend as the Tigers have in the past, though it remains unknown how much president and CEO Christopher Ilitch will open up his pocketbook when the time comes. And when it does — most optimistically two years from now, more likely in four years — the Tigers will be dealing with a different AL Central.

The Minnesota Twins have fought the system with sage free agent signings, and have multiple impact players in their farm system. The Chicago White Sox continue to be a team on the precipice of success, though with each passing year, doubt creeps in.

And the Royals, as evident with every one of those 12 booming home runs this weekend from big bats the Tigers are missing, stand ahead of them in the rebuilding process, too.